A Web Design
Workshop
For St. Louis Businesses
Tell it better.
Tell it better.
Your website should tell the story only you can tell.
A great website starts with a strong story, the right tools, and someone in the room who can help you put it all together. After 13 years of designing websites for St. Louis businesses, I wanted to make that expertise more accessible.
What
build is a hands-on workshop designed to be hosted by chambers of commerce, maker and coworking spaces, libraries, business incubators, nonprofits, corporate teams, neighborhood development organizations, and anyone else whose community includes people who need a web presence.
Who
Whether you are programming for entrepreneurs, small business owners, creatives, or corporate teams, build walks participants work through the fundamentals of building a Squarespace website from the ground up.
How
Sessions are two hours and require a minimum of 6 participants. You provide the space with reliable WiFi and enough seating and surface space for laptops.
Before the workshop, each participant receives a short questionnaire to help them gather everything they need so we can hit the ground running. At the workshop, you’ll need:
A laptop
Any existing brand assets, if available (logo, colors, fonts)
A few photos (product shots, headshots, images of your space)
Any copy already written: an about blurb, service descriptions, contact information
A clear sense of what you want their site to do
Why
By the end of the workshop, each participant will have a live, mobile-optimized Squarespace website with their core pages in place, structured intentionally, and reflecting who they are and what they do.
Curriculum
We move through every stage of building a site that is ready to work.
PRE-DESIGN
Goals & function
Every decision flows from knowing what the site needs to do, and for whom
Page structure
Organize content so visitors easily find what they need
Branding
Translating visual identity into a cohesive digital presence
Voice
Writing for the web: clear, direct, and compelling
DESIGN
Layout & editing
Pages that are unique, compelling and professional on desktop and mobile
Companion tools
Free and low-cost tools that make maintaining a site easier
SEO basics
Page titles, meta descriptions, and image alt text
Publishing
Going live with confidence and knowing exactly what comes next
Building on Squarespace requires a Squarespace account. Participants can start with a free trial during the workshop (I bring an extended 365-day trial period and 25% off your annual subscription!). A paid subscription will be needed to publish and maintain the site going forward.
Sara Graham
Squarespace Platinum Design
Squarespace Certified Trainer
Thirteen years, more than a thousand completed projects, and clients across virtually every industry and continent. That breadth of experience shapes every engagement, not just in what gets built, but in the strategic thinking and creative judgment brought to it.
The path to web design ran through nearly a decade of global sustainability strategy at HOK and years of professional journalism for Zagat, Sauce Magazine, and the Riverfront Times. That background produces something most designers can't offer: a rigorous approach to structure and a trained instinct for story, working together, from the first conversation to launch.
You’re In Good Company
Just some of the St. Louis businesses and organizations that have entrusted EngageTaste with building their website and online presence:
4321 GROVE ﹒ Alphateria ﹒ An Affair To Remember ﹒ Artisan Well ﹒ Aya Sofia ﹒ Baida ﹒ Bella Aesthetica ﹒ Belli Fiori ﹒ Bittersweet Kitchen ﹒ Blend Salon ﹒ City Restoration & Revival ﹒CJF Signature Seasoning ﹒ Community Builders Network ﹒ Compton Heights Neighborhood Betterment Association ﹒ DeSmet High School ﹒ Dill-Thebeau Interior Design ﹒Gershwin Commercial Real Estate ﹒ Herbaria ﹒ HomeScreen ﹒ International Schoolhouse ﹒Intoxicology ﹒ Jon Mendelson Realtors ﹒ K. Ferrara Color ﹒ Kakao Chocolate ﹒ La Maison ﹒ Las Palmas ﹒ Nathaniel Reid Bakery ﹒ Northside Community Housing, Inc. ﹒ Park Central Development ﹒ PLNK Fitness ﹒ Poynter Landscaping ﹒ Providers STL ﹒ San Gabriel Memory Care ﹒ Serendipity Floral Design ﹒ Soul STL ﹒ Spanish Lake CDC ﹒ St. Louis Culinary Tours ﹒ Steve Truesdell Photography ﹒ STL Chefs de Cuisine ﹒ Taco Buddha ﹒ Tale to Table ﹒ The Attic Music Bar ﹒ The Block ﹒ The Dogwood In The Grove ﹒ The Flower Lab ﹒ The Garden on Grand ﹒ The Grove Community Improvement District ﹒ The Pearl In Clayton ﹒ The Social Affair ﹒ The Soulard School ﹒ The Wood Shack ﹒ Tony's Family Farms ﹒ Tower Grove Neighborhoods CDC ﹒ Tree House ﹒ ViewPoynt ﹒ West End Creative ﹒ Winslow's Farm ﹒ Winslow's Home
Frequently Asked Questions
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Anyone who wants a better website. Beginners will get up and running from zero. More experienced users will benefit from having an expert designer in the room to answer questions, challenge assumptions, and help them make decisions.
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No. If you can type and click, you have everything you need.
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The workshop is just as valuable whether you're building something new, rebuilding something that isn't working, or finishing something half-started. Starting from a clean structure with a designer beside you is often the fastest way to get where you want to go, regardless of where you're coming from.
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You'll have a solid, publishable foundation with core pages, basic design, and real content in place. Most participants will want to continue refining after the workshop, and the pre-workshop questionnaire is designed to help you come in as prepared as possible.
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The workshop focuses on foundational website building. E-commerce can be introduced as a next step for participants whose sites require it.
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A room with reliable WiFi, enough seating for your group, and a surface for laptops. I handle everything else.
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There is a minimum of 6 participants and no maximum. Get in touch to discuss what works for your organization.
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Participants leave with a live site and a clear sense of next steps, including Squarespace subscription options, domain setup, and ongoing resources for maintaining and growing their site.
Upcoming Workshops
Foundry Art Centre
St. Charles, MO
September 23rd, 6-8pm
Ready to Build?
Inquire about bringing build to your organization.